Tom Sawyer's Wooden Fence
Fences are a part of many landscapes. Artists draw fences in a variety of ways using a variety of techniques. A wooden fence included in a landscape adds a quaint atmosphere. Wooden fences are easy to draw, and with a few simple techniques, you can learn draw wooden fences that will come alive right down to the detail of the grain.
Instructions
1. Sketch the outline of the wooden fence boards side by side. Don't worry about detail right now. The object is to line the fence boards up. You can use a ruler to keep the fence boards lined up. Don't worry that they will look too uniform. You'll add details later that will take away the uniform look and make the fence more realistic. The basic shape of the fence board are straight with a triangular or slightly rounded top.
2. Shading is important. It will give realistic texture to the wood and take away the uniform look created in the initial sketching. Add dark lines between the boards to give the appearance of space. Don't make the lines too straight. You want a ragged look, as if the boards are old and not exactly proportioned the same. This will also make it look as if some of the boards have rotted out on some of the edges, which lends realism.
3. Draw grain details with your lead pencil. Short, sharp lines with a little squiggle up and down each board, very subtle, will do the trick. Draw knots in some of the boards (not so many as to be a distraction) by drawing a tiny circle topped with a half circle. Use a reference photo if necessary, but getting the look of knots in wood isn't too difficult.
4. Decide if you are going to leave the drawing black and white or if you want to add color. If you want to make the wooden fence brown, use a dark shade and a light shade. Alternatively, you can use one brown pencil and apply harder or lighter pressure. If you are doing a black and white, go over the fence boards with a lead pencil to color them in. Color with an angled side-to-side motion to enhance the grain details you've applied. Do the same with a brown pencil if you want to add color, then go over the wood knots and grain lines with brown to give them a three-dimensional feel.
5. Finish off your wooden fence drawing by adding blades of grass at the base or maybe a few flowers. Use your fingers to smudge and blend the lines to soften them until you achieve the finished look you want for your fence.
